April 24, 2015

Dear NJGCA Member:

Thank you for reading this week's NJGCA Road Warrior!

Here is what you will find in this edition:

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS! 

NJGCA MEMBER GETS TOP SCORES IN NEWS 12 UNDERCOVER MOTOR OIL INVESTIGATION
SELF-SERVE IN NEW JERSEY
INCREASING THE AGE TO PURCHASE TOBACCO
SUCCESSFUL NJGCA BREAKFAST MEETINGS

About a month ago, I was alerted that a News 12 New Jersey team was visiting repair shops as part of an undercover investigation on the quality of oil that repair shops were selling to customers. Although I was confident that I had properly warned members about the poor quality oil that some suppliers were delivering to unsuspecting shops, I was concerned that my warnings could've gone unnoticed or worse, dismissed as unlikely to happen to them.
 
The staff here was able to learn that a member named Sam Shah, who owns Quality Auto, was one of the targets. NJGCA is proud that Sam and Quality Auto conducted themselves with honesty and integrity by providing both the proper grade of motor oil and the proper quality of oil in the investigating customer’s car.
 
You may recall that one of Sam's shops had been involved in a different investigation by ABC’s 20/20 back in September, in which Sam's shop was the only one that was found to be "honest" and "fair." (You can read the press release that we wrote after that investigation HERE). You can imagine our surprise when I learned last month that he had been part of a second under- cover investigation, this time by News 12 New Jersey.
 
However, was I surprised to hear that once again, Sam was found to be the only business owner who "passed the test?"  Not at all!  NJGCA prides itself on having members that are "a cut above the rest." We know that our members support our Zero Tolerance Policy, and when they join NJGCA, they are making a conscious decision to hold themselves (and other small business owners) to the highest standards.  We continually strive to ensure that our members are educated and well-informed, and we are the first to support investigations that reveal instances of intentional wrongdoing, fraud, dishonesty and cheating, whether committed by our members or anyone else. Click HERE to view the News 12 New Jersey segment, and click HERE to read the press release that we wrote this week in response to the investigation.
 
Another NJGCA member was also targeted and was found to have installed very poor quality motor oil in the investigator’s car. However, he manged to acquit himself by honestly informing the investigator that their vehicle was not really in need of an oil change. After pointing out that the oil was overfilled, he performed the requested oil change. It was later discovered in laboratory tests that the oil that was used was of a very poor quality and harmful to the vehicle's engine.  When the investigative team returned, they learned that our member, Metuchen BP, had already become suspicious of their oil supplier and stopped buying from them when their inventory ran out. The investigative team was shown proof that there was a recent change of suppliers because of that suspicion.
 
This morning, after viewing the News 12 program, I called this member to inquire about the supplier that had delivered the bad oil. I learned that their suspicion began after I sent a Wildfire Alert last December warning shop owners to be wary of bad oil being sold to repair shops. I am happy that suspicions were aroused and that this member dumped an unscrupulous supplier.
 
This is a good opportunity for me to remind you that NJGCA has two very credible and reputable motor oil suppliers that we recommend and who are listed in the 2015 MBP brochure that you recently received. PPC Lubricants not only offers quality products and reputable service, but they also offer an incredible discount to NJGCA members on Castrol branded products. Castrol is probably recognized as the leader in quality engine lubricants. Also listed is Hough Petroleum who is also recognized for their integrity and quality.  I recommend both suppliers without reservation.  If you are not using either of them then you should be!
 
NJGCA is continuing to make progress in our discussions with legislators regarding self-serve. However, as we successfully line up sponsors for this bill in Trenton, we still face opposition from the public. Just last week, we saw an article in which a Monmouth University economics professor claimed, "it's a myth that gasoline prices would drop if the ban [on self-serve] were lifted." That is something that I strongly dispute, and I imagine that you would, too. You can read this article bashing self serve by clicking here.  We already had members indicate the savings that they anticipate once they are permitted to allow the self-serve option at their business.  We are certain that there will be many more articles just like this one, once our bill is introduced and it is clear that the seeds to allow self-serve have been planted in Trenton.  We are aware of the opposition that we will experience, and we continue to discuss and debate the various ways in which we can win the public-relations battle on this issue.  Stay tuned, as your input and your support will be necessary if we are to be successful!
 
Another area where we require the participation of our members is in regard to municipal issues.  As you know, we keep a close, watchful eye on the happenings in Trenton, however, it is simply impossible to be aware of everything that all 565 municipalities and town councils are working on. We first reported to you about a month ago that Princeton was considering a proposal to raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21. It is rare to actually have that kind of advance notice on these issues. With about 4 weeks to prepare, we asked for members to join us at the town council meeting (on Tuesday 4/21), and we called all businesses in Princeton that sell tobacco, to invite them to attend as well. Unfortunately, our request (for the most part) fell on deaf ears, just as our appeal to the council did. NJGCA Associate Director of Government Affairs, Eric Blomgren, testified in front of the council, and there were two local business owners who also shared their concerns. However, the council's mind was made up, and Princeton became the 7th town in NJ to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to customers under the age of 21.  To read an article in which Eric is quoted, please click HERE.
 
Finally, I am happy to report the success of our first two breakfast meetings of NJGCA's 2015 Diner Tour. NJGCA Staff, Members, and MBPs all came together to discuss issues critical to our industry right now, including sales tax on gasoline, self-serve gasoline, NJ emissions inspection program, Right to Repair legislation, paid sick leave, internet lottery, proposed changes to workers' compensation awards payouts, and much more. These events were well-attended and informative for all, including me and my staff. We rely on YOU to tell us how we can serve you better. By encouraging free-flowing dialogue and open lines of communication between NJGCA Staff, and you we hope to help you build stronger and more successful businesses. Our next Diner Tour meeting will be on May 13th in Springfield, NJ (right down the street from NJGCA HQ). We hope that members in Union County (and beyond) will join us for another successful gathering. I've included pictures from the meetings this week.

 
 
The group at the Red Oak Diner in Hazlet


The $50 winner, Amit Pujara from Allenwood Exxon


The group in Paramus listening to an MBP describe a money-saving program


$50 winner in Paramus, Dave Richfield from Hackensack Auto Repair

That's all for now!  Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!
-ALL CLASSES WILL BE HELD AT NJGCA HEADQUARTERS-
66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081 (Union County)

For info on the ENTIRE ETEP course, and the ETEP Re-Certification courses that NJGCA is offering, please click HERE.

To access the registration form and payment info, please click HERE.

FUTURE CLASSES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT DEBBIE at 973-376-0066 or DEBBIE@NJGCA.ORG TO LET HER KNOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING A SPECIFIC CLASS.  THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GAUGE YOUR NEEDS AND KEEP TRACK OF THOSE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE!!

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS 

NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNERS LOOKING TO HIRE!

GILL ENERGY:

District Manager
Store Manager
Trucking Operations Manager

For more information about these positions, and to submit a resume for consideration, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

04/21/2015:
50% of NJ voters are ready to raise the gas tax
For years, NJ voters have made it clear that they don't like the idea of raising the gas tax. A poll released Tuesday morning indicates that's beginning to change. The Quinnipiac University poll of 1,428 registered voters found them split on whether to raise the gas tax to fund road improvements and mass transit, with 50% saying they would and 47% saying they wouldn't. The difference is just outside the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. That's a big increase from January, when just 37% favored raising the tax it and 62% opposed it.  It's also the highest support for raising the tax that Quinnipiac has ever measured.  The lowest recorded was in December 2007, when 24% favored hiking it and 74% opposed it.  NJ has the second lowest gas tax in the nation, and it hasn't been increased since 1988. Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) has led the charge to replenish the TTF -- something he said would involve a gas tax hike.  A coalition of business and labor groups has also started a major PR campaign to replenish the fund, while Gov. Chris Christie's transportation commissioner, Jamie Fox, has also called for an increase. But talks on replenishing the fund by the next budget deadline on June 30 have stalled as Gov. Chris Christie has put off the emergency by one year through calling in a $241 million loan repayment from NJ Transit.
 
04/21/2015:
Princeton becomes 7th NJ town prohibiting tobacco sales to customers under 21
Customers under 21 years old will no longer be able to purchase tobacco products in Princeton. The town's board of health unanimously adopted an ordinance Monday night banning tobacco sales to a broader population, making Princeton the seventh town in New Jersey to enact such a law. Princeton joins Bogota, Englewood, Garfield, Highland Park, Sayreville and Teaneck in adopting an ordinance that requires customers to be a bit older than the state age requirement of 19 to purchase tobacco products. The law, which Princeton's Department of Health will be in charge of enforcing, will go into effect within three weeks.  There are about 20 locations in Princeton where cigarettes are sold and even more where tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes can be purchased. Retailers who violate the law will face a penalty of $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second and $1,000 for the third and subsequent violations. Eric Blomgren, associate director of gov't affairs for the NJ Gasoline-C-Store-Automotive Association, opposed the ordinance and said small businesses will be "needlessly hurt" by it. "People under 21 are legally allowed to vote, to marry, to serve in the military, but this says they're not responsible enough to buy a cigar," Blomgren said. "They have access to a car. The end result is that these people are still going to smoke anywhere."
 
04/21/2015:
Electric-Car Incentive Considered In Oregon: $3,000 "Cash On The Hood
Oregon has quite the reputation for being electric-vehicle friendly. That reputation holds true if you already own an EV -- the state’s a wonderland in terms of charging infrastructure -- but for those who want to replace the fossil-fuel burner, the state hasn’t helped make the path to EV ownership any easier. Now, at last, state legislators are considering a bill that would offer those who buy or lease an electric car, plug-in hybrid, or even fuel-cell vehicle a cash incentive. That incentive would be what Drive Oregon executive director Jeff Allen called a “cash on the hood” incentive -- provided at the time of sale, when it could be applied toward the down payment or perhaps lessen the amount financed. And it could be enacted this year.  House Bill 2092 would give those buying or leasing plug-in hybrids a $1,500 incentive, while a $3,000 incentive would apply to those getting an all-electric vehicle. That bill moved from the House Committee on Energy and Environment on to the Revenue Committee this past week, after backing testimony from Drive Oregon as well as the Auto Alliance, General Motors, and others earlier this month. The bill wouldn’t just subsidize electric cars, though; plug-in hybrids would be eligible for the $1,500 as well, while hydrogen-powered vehicles would be eligible for $3,000, zero-emission (electric) motorcycles for $1,000, and neighborhood electric vehicles (for subdivisions and golf courses, for instance) for $750. The incentive would time out on January 1, 2022, and if passed in this legislative session it could begin as soon as this October.
 

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD:

TMP Energy Solutions
Another Way to Save on Your Energy Bills

We have had a number of NJGCA members successfully reduce their rate per kWh signing up through our energy saving program. We know it's difficult to collect 12 months worth of previous electric bills to get an "accurate" analysis when comparing a variable rate to a fixed rate, but we now have another option available. 

This new solution is a power purchase option; the other program is still in full force and has saved members thousands of dollars. If you sign up for the power purchase option, you will be grouped with other NJGCA members until the minimum KW demand is acquired. By pooling the member's usage together, you will be able to take advantage, as large energy users do, and receive a lower kWh rate.

Each member will receive their own contract. Each member is responsible to sign and return the agreement the day it is received in order to secure the price for their group.

Please do your due diligence, so when you receive the proposal and the agreement you will be able to make an intelligent decision.

If by chance, you still want us to assess you bills, to give you a price to compare, we will require12 months of your most recent utility bills.

There are no bills required, but we would still like to have one bill per meter on file to check account #'s, meter #'s  service addresses and other pertinent information incase there is a problem.

The term of the agreement is for 12 months. During this term period, you will have price protection against any energy price increases along with a low fixed kWh rate.

If you are interested in becoming part of this power purchase option, please contact Greg Cannon at the NJGCA.

Remember when you sign up your energy through the NJGCA Energy Program, TMP makes a considerable donation to the NJGCA Scholarship Fund through their proceeds. This has no affect on your rate, and costs you nothing out of pocket.

We hope to help hundreds of NJGCA members reduce their utility costs by participating in this and our other cost reduction programs.  Our purpose, in the endeavor, is to help NJGCA members lower their energy costs while supporting the NJGCA Scholarship Fund. 

Contact GREG CANNON at 973-376-0066 or email Greg at greg@njgca.org. Mention that you are interested in saving money on your energy bills. NJGCA & TMP Energy Solutions will handle all the rest.